1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices and methods for etching and cleaning semiconductor structures and more particularly to apparatuses and methods for etching and cleaning semiconductor structures, such as wafers.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Current practice use tremendous amount of chemicals & water for wet etching & cleaning of wafers. It is desirable to develop methods and tools to reduce chemical and water usage while improving the etching and cleaning of wafer.
The importance of overcoming the various deficiencies noted above is evidenced by the extensive technological development directed to the subject, as documented by the relevant patent and technical literature. The closest and apparently more relevant technical developments in the patent literature can be gleaned by considering the following.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,751,824 B2—Oh et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,178—Huynh et al.—Wafer carrier rinsing mechanism.    US20030129850A1: System for planarizing metal conductive layers.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,877: Ono, Yuji—Single wafer type cleaning method and apparatus.    US20030230323A1—You et al.—Apparatus and method for improving scrubber cleaning.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,443:—Huh,—Semiconductor wafer cleaning apparatus and method.    US20040198179A1: Gadd—Abrasive fluid jet system.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,643,882: Sotozaki et al.—Substrate cleaning apparatus.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,837:—Chiou—Method of rinsing residual etching reactants/products on a semiconductor wafer.